January 13, 2008
My 54th Birthday!

Well I made it to 54 today, hooray for me. Even though the last year has been tough there have been a lot of wonderful moments, a new goddaughter and niece - Aubree, laughs, and good times and that’s what’s important. You need to enjoy the moment; you never know when it will be taken away from you.

For 16 years at the community college I taught at, one of the subjects I taught was goal setting and more importantly writing them down. I learned this from a good friend, a brilliant marketer and author, Carolyn Gorsuch here in Salem, OR a long time ago. Every year you need to analyze these goals, both short time and long; and adjust them as life changes. Obviously mine have, so practicing what I preached, here goes:

Short Term
· Somehow I want to do more to get more people to donate, something, anything, to ALS research. If all the people that receive this and haven’t yet donated just $20 it would mean over $20,000 to help find a cure. The website: http://www.jimculveyhouse.com/ is set up where you can give as low as ONE dollar and I’ve had 4 of those from children and just like everybody else I sent a personal thank you note to them too. Must have good parents!
· I hope my 3 month check-up at OHSU goes well Tuesday in Portland, OR.
· February 14th is Valentines Day and its going to be special so I can tell my Mother Theresa of a wife, Melanie, that she has come through like a trouper and even though its going to get much worse I know she’ll be their for me and that is something very special.

March 26th is as special as a day as it comes. Melanie and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Believe me there were many (OK most) people at our wedding that would have taken long odds this day would never come!

I’d say that about does it for the first quarter of 2008, I’ll be updating you hopefully every month. Oh yea I forgot:

Long Term
· I hope everyone spends a little more time with their significant others, their children, their families, and their friends. Be kinder to people. Listen more, there is a reason God gave us two ears and one mouth. I truly believe the more you give, the more you get in return. God bless you all!

Click here to give to ALS research.

Jim and Melanie with their niece
and Jim’s godchild Aubree.
2-6-08